Such hypocariogenic hydrogenated starch hydrolysates are already known. There may thus be mentioned, for example maltitol syrups containing about 50-55% and containing about 72-78% maltitol relative to the dry matter. Such syrups are thus marketed for example under the trade marks "LYCASIN 80/55" and 75/75" respectively, by the applicant company. There may also be mentioned the maltitol syrups sold under the trade marks "MALTIDEX 100", "MALTIDEX 200", "MALBIT", and "FINMALT".
However, these hypocariogenic hydrogenated starch hydrolysates are not completely satisfactory.
The problems encountered can be of several types.
Thus, for example, some of these syrups or finished items in which they are used can be criticized for a lack of sweetening power.
Furthermore, the viscosity of these syrups is sometimes inadequate and in such a case, the finished items in the composition of which they are used lack "body" or texture. It is then necessary to add viscosity-promoting agents such as carboxymethylcellulose (CMC) or plant gums whose incorporation is difficult.
Other disadvantages, of an essentially technological nature, affect the use of some hypocariogenic hydrogenated starch hydrolysates when they are used for example in the manufacture of boiled sweets. The first of these disadvantages lies in a flow or plastic flow phenomenon (or so-called "cold flow" phenomenon) the center of which is the constituent material of the sweet. This phenomenon, which proves to be quite slow at 20.degree. C. but which accelerates with increase in temperature, manifests itself in the long run by deformation of the sweets, which is detrimental to their marketing. The second disadvantage lies in the substantial hygroscopic character of these sweets, due to the fact that confectionery products need to have a water content of less than 2%, preferably less than about 1%, which results in a tendency to regain water during storage.
Some of these hydrogenated starch hydrolysates can also be criticized for not being sufficiently hypocariogenic. It is quite obvious that much more pronounced hypocariogenic properties are required in an application such as the manufacture of boiled sweets, which by virtue of their very nature risk being in prolonged contact with the teeth,-than in an application such as for example the manufacture of very dilute liquid product.
Very specific hydrogenated starch hydrolysates have thus been prepared and developed by the applicant company, most particularly for this application in boiled sweets, these hydrolysates having the characteristic of being directly usable for the manufacture of the said sweets while at the same time possessing completely satisfactory hypocariogenic properties, even enabling them to be described as "non-cariogenic" in countries like Switzerland where official methods for the determination of the non-cariogenicity of products have been introduced. The optimum hypocariogenic properties of these hydrolysates, marketed under the trade mark "LYCASIN 80/55", may be obtained by preserving a concentration of less than 3%, and preferably of less than 1.5% of hydrogenated polysaccharides corresponding to a DP greater than 20, in addition to a defined concentration of hydrogenated products corresponding to DP1 and DP2. These specific hydrogenated starch hydrolysates are described for example in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,279,931 and 4,346,116.
Very satisfactory hypocariogenic properties can also be obtained, without any problem, with hydrolysates having a high maltitol concentration, as is the case for example for the hydrolysates marketed by the applicant company under the trade mark "MALTISORB 75/75". But these hydrolysates cannot be satisfactorily used in certain applications like that precisely of boiled sweets, jellies or cough syrups where another disadvantage is encountered which lies in the risks of crystallization occurring during the use of these hydrolysates.
All these disadvantages--lack of sweetening power, poor technological features, insufficient hypocariogenic properties, risks of crystallization--are not simultaneously encountered in the same hydrogenated starch hydrolysate. But the problem lies in the fact that the attenuation of certain disadvantages results in the aggravation of others.
Thus, for example, hydrogenated starch hydrolysates (which will be called in the following text HSH) can be obtained which possess a good sweetening power and satisfactory hypocariogenic properties. This is the case for HSHs containing a high maltitol concentration. But these hydrolysates now present risks of crystallization or they lack viscosity and cannot be used in certain major applications such as the manufacture of sweets.
Conversely, HSHs can be obtained which possess a good viscosity--thus conferring adequate "body" or texture on the items in which they are used--and which are capable of being used for example in the manufacture of sweets without causing problems of plastic flow or hygroscopicity, but unfortunately these hydrolysates are now acutely deficient in sweetening power and in particular do not possess the required hypocariogenic properties.
As mentioned above, the applicant company has already undertaken major research studies in order to try to resolve this technical problem and has in particular developed the hydrogenated starch hydrolysates known under the trademark "LYCASIN 80/55". But although these hydrolysates represented a decisive improvement, which in fact resulted in a major commercial success, they still continue to be only the result of a compromise between the contradictory properties which were mentioned above and therefore still partially possess the disadvantages which are the lack of sweetening power and relatively limited technological features in certain applications.
The applicant company, aware of these problems, has tried hard to reduce them by proposing, in European Patent No. 0,094,292, the incorporation into hydrogenated starch hydrolysates intended for the manufacture of boiled sweets an effective amount of gum arabic or carboxymethylcellulose as well as, optionally, an amount of mannitol which may be as high as 10% by weight.
However, while it is true that this addition to HSHs of gum arabic and/or carboxymethyl cellulose and optionally mannitol has made it possible to improve their behavior in the manufacture of boiled sweets, with respect to the regain of water and to plastic flow, it remains nevertheless the case that further progress is still required. In particular, as far as the optimization of the sweet manufacturing process is concerned, it would be useful to further reduce the boiling times and the manufacturing times so as to be able to use traditional confectionery materials and no longer the installations specifically developed for sugar-free confectionery. It is evident that this would indeed result in a reduction in the costs of production. Furthermore, during the boiling of the HSHs for the manufacture of sweets, the use of products such as gum arabic or carboxymethyl cellulose, which have a high viscosity in solution, sometimes render the application of vacuum difficult because of a clear tendency to foam. Moreover, the addition of gum arabic and/or CMC and/or mannitol makes it necessary for the user to carry out additional mixing, making this technique impractical and more costly.
Finally, such products can have detrimental effects on the confectionery items themselves, namely: the development of a brown color and a caramel taste which are undesirable. These disadvantages are encountered not only with boiled sweets but also, although to a lesser degree, with items such as gums, jellies or chewy pastes.